Emergency structure for railway cars



H. w. LINDSEY. EMERGENCY STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY CARS- APPLICATION FILEDNOV-19,1919.

Patented May 23, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

H. W. LINDSEY. EMERGENCY STRUCTURE FOR RA|LWAY.CARS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-19, 1919. 1,417,185.

' Patented May 23, 1922. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. W 5

avwewtoz tlNl'lE STA Henson W. nrnnsnz", on ATLANTA, enonern.

EMEIRGENOY STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY CABS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1922.

Application filed November 19, 1919. Serial No. 339,096.

T 0 all 107L077} it may concern Be it known that I, Home]; Vi. Lmcsnr acitizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county ofFultonand State of Georgia, have invented'certain new and usefulImprovementsin Emergency Structures for Railway Cars, of which the fol-I lowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanyingdrawing.

This invention relates to railway cars and,

more especially, to mechanismcarried thereby or associated therewith forcontrolling the brake-beam thereof "in the event that it is abnormallydisplaced from position whereby danger of accidents resulting from thedropping; of the bralre bean1 upon the tracks is obviated or reduced toa minimum.

The primary object of the invention to provide mechanism, of simpleconstruction, that is actuated by the abnormal movement of thebrake-beam of a railway car, first to control the movement and positionof the brake-beam and (if desired) to operate the associated air-brakesystem to bring: the car and, thus, the entire train, to a standstill.

A further obj ectof the invention is to provide an auxiliary support forthe brakebeam which is adapted to function for effectually controllingthe movement and position of the brake-beam in the event that the latteris actuatedbeyond prescribed limits (of movement with consequent dangerthat it wouldthen drop down upon the underlying tracks and derail thecar or otherwise cause serious damage thereto.

still further object'within thecontemplation of the inventionis toprovide, in conjunction with the aforementioned auxiliary brake-beamsupport, means associated with the air-brake system of the trainwhereby,

after the brake-beam hasreached a predetei mined position during; itsabnormal movement away from normal, it will operate a valve in thesystem and'thereby effect operation of'the brakes to bring thetrain to astop. H

lVith these andother objects in view, the invention includes,broadly-i.n conjunction with the usual brake-beam of a railway car andthe supports or hangers whereby it is maintained in normal position, andin operative relation to function for, positioning the brakes in respectto the car wheelsan auxiliary support for the brakebeam adapted,

itself, tofunction in the event that. the usual supports for thebrake-beam becomes broken or otherwise damaged; there being preferablyassociated with this support a connection with the air-brake system ofthe car whereby, if the auxiliary support is actuated beyond apredetermined point, it will operate the air-brake system automatically.

The invention. more specifically defined, resides in a structure whichincludes one or more members connected to a stationary part of the carand also to the brake-beam thereof, each of the members being of aconstruction and form to pcrmita certain amount of movement of thebrake-beam in its normal operation of positioning the brakes in respectto the wheels and operating to guide the brake-beam in its movement inthe event that it becomes disengaged from its usual supportinginstrumentalities and preventing it from dropping down upon theunderlying tracks or under the wheels of the car; and, in someinstances,this structm'e is associated with operating mechanismconnected to the air-brake system of the car whereby the system isactuated if the brake-beam moves beyond a certain point but under thecontrol of the member, so that, in addition to controlling the movementand the position of the brake-beam, the member then also functions as aCGIHDOTlQn-i ofthe air-brake tern to operateit.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to associate with the hra m-heaniof a car means connected to the airrbral-te system thereof for operatingthe same in the event that; the hrakebeam is abnormally di placed but,so farms I am aware, it is new to associate with such a structure meansfor controlling the movement and position of tie brake-beam in the eventthat it becomes abnormally displaced so that, in addition to operatingthe air-brake system, it will. be precluded from dropping onto the railsor passing under the wheels of the car, and this I claim to be ofmyinvention In order that the invention may be more readily understoorhlhave disclosed two cmbodiments of the same in the accompanying drawings;but it will be apparent therefrom, as well as from the description whichfollows, that the invention is susceptible of a wide range ofmodification and variation without departing from the salient featuresor sacrificing any of the underlying principles of the invention; and inthese drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in top plan of a car truck with my invention embodiedtherein;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical longitudinal section, on the line :22 Fig.i;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing a brake-beam and my auxiliarybeam-support associated therewith;

Figs. 4:, 5 and 6 are fragmentary views, mostly in elevation, and moreor less diagrammatic, showii'ig (in Fig. 4-) the norn' al position ofthe parts; and (in Fig. 5) the position of the parts when thehralm-beain is elevated away from normal position; and (in Fig. 6) theposition of the parts when the brake-bea1n has been displaced downwardlyaway from normal position, the

' auxiliary hanger, in this figure, appearing in full lines in oneo:l:.its abnormal positions and, in dotted lines. a different abnormalposition of the hanger wherein it is locked or blocked against upward movcment; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view, in perspective, of a brake-beam and myauxiliary support associated therewith; the latter being independent ofthe operative connection between the brake-beam and the valve-operatinglever.

Referring to these drawings:

The reference-numeral l designates, gen erally, the truck of arailway-car of usual construction, and which includes a truck- 'bolster2, a truck frame 3, axles at, wheels 5 thereon, and a brake-beam 6extending transversely of the car but juxtaposed to the bolster, andwhich carries the usual make-foot? on which is disposed a brake-shoe 8.The brake-beam is sustained in normal position by one or more links orhangers 9 connected to the truck-bolster and to the brake-beam. asshown, one adjacent each end thereof. The particular form of thesehangers for the brake-beam is, so far as my in ention is concerned,immaterial; but I elect to utilize the usual types thereof which arefound to be most efficient in modern practice.

Inasmuch as a sudden or emergency open ation of the brakes might, andusually does, move the brake-beam to an abnormal extent, either the beamitself (at the point of its connection with said hangers) is, or thehangers themselves are, broken whereupon, as the brake-beam is thenunsustained, it will either drop down upon the tracks, or pass under thewheels, or be thrown upwardly against parts of the truck so that,eventually, it will drop down upon the tracks or pass under the wheelsand effect a derailment; of-the car: This sort of accident is quiteusual at the presentday, and at least 7 5% of the rlerailment-accidentson railway-trains are due to the abnormal displacement of the brake-beamand itspass- ,ing;underthe wheels with consequent derailment of the car.'As already mentioned,

it has heretofore been proposed to connect the brake-beam with theair-brake system of the car so that abnormal movement of the brake-beamwill operate the system and bring the car to a stop; but, it frequentlyhappensjthat, before: the car can be brought to a standstill, thebrake-beam will have passed under the wheels and caused derailment.Hence, I propose to associate with the structure just mentioned meansconnected to or associated withthe brake-beam to guide it in itsabnormal movements and effectually hold it against detachment from thecar so that it will, then, be precluded from falling on the rails andeffecting a derailment. p

To this end, I provide what I shall herein designate as an auxiliarysupport from the brake-beam; and this support comprises a member 10which, is permanently attached either to the truck-frame (as shown), tothe truck-bolster, or to some other part of the car. The particularmanner of attaching this auxiliary support is immaterial, so long as itsattachment is of such a character as to withstand strain upon thesupport in the event that the brake-beam is displaced from normalposition. I prefer to provide at least two of these members 10, eachmember being associated with one end of the brakebeam, as shown. r

Each of these auxiliary members-which may also serve as a hanger-isformed as an irregularly-shaped link or elementmade preferably of round.bar-iron or steel and provided with upper and lower eyes or lugs 11 and12 for effecting an attachment of the member to the truck-frame, asalready mentioned,

Each of these members 10 comprises an elongated. vertical section 13formed by two parallel portions 14 and 14*; two elbowsections 15 and 15%and an enlarged horizontal section 16. Between these several portions anopening, or space.

Loosely encircling the portion 15 is a li1ik-element 17 adapted to slideupon this I section and in the said opening or space; and, during anabnormal movement of: the element. it may pass around the elbow-sectionlfi aud into the enlarged space or area 18 formed by the section 16, aswill be presently explained. V

Preferably and as shown, the brake-beam itself is jointed or otherwisesecured, as at 19 a to the link 17, the latter forming the ac reconnection between the brake-beam and the auxiiiary support 10.

Rigidly or loosely connected to the link ll-as may be desired or as willbest meet particular conditionsis an upstanding valve-operating element20 provided with an elongated longitudinal slot 21.: .Operativelyassociated with the element 20 is a valveopen-ing lever 22, the lattercarrying, at one end, a pin 23 adapted to move in the slot 21. The lever22 is, preferably, pivoted to and operates the valve 24, the latter (ofusual construction) being disposed on a branch-pipe exteir" t t; irom amain trainline or air-pipe forming a part of the air system ot thetrain. it is to be understood that there will preferably be as many otthe branches as there are wheels on the car; and that likewise, therewill be a brakebeam for each pair of wheels with a corre ponding numberof other parts and in strumentalities oi the kind above described.

Operation: l seaming; that the wheels oi the car viewed in Fig. arerevolving in a clockwise direction, and that it becomes necessary forthe engineer of the train to operate the brakes suddenly, and it, then,the engr gement oi the brakes with the wheels some other action resultsin the breaking of the beam-hanger which connects the beam to thetruck-bolster, with consequent abnormal displacement or dislocation ofthe beam; then, my improved beam-controlling structure-embracing themembers 10 and the links 1i-becomes active in order that the beam maynot be carried (by reason of the engagement of the brakes with thewheels) into a position to cause an accident. To this end, the members10 function to guide the links 17 in theirupward movement (when carriedin that direction by the beam) until the links reach the upper end ofthe section 13 of the member 10, at which point the brake-beam willthereby be held against further upward movement. llormallythe pin 23will occupy a position at the lower end of the slot 21; and. when thelink 17 is raised in the manner inst explained. the valve-open in lever22 will be lifted but without operating the valve 24. i

if. hmveve'r the wheels of the car are rotating in a counter-clockwisedirection, and if then. the engagement ot the brakes with the wheelsresults in the disconnection of the brakclieam from its hangers, myimproved structure, as above dcscriberh will then function to controlthe downward movement of the briike-beam'; and this is accomplished bythe link 17 sliding downwardly being guided in vitsmorement by therertical section 13 of the member 10. it swh downward movement be suchas to position the link 17 at the elbow-section of the member 10, thelatter will guide the lu'ake-beam into its enlarged area 18 and therehold or lock it (as shown in Fig. 6)

and prevent its further movement or droppin; onto the underlying rails.the elbow portions 1:? and lit contributing to this result, It is to beunderstood thatmhe slot-21 in the ."alre-operatine element is of such Munit the element to have considerable downward Increment or lostmotion-as. for instance, down to a position adjacent the elbow-sectioni1 5--whereu aon inasmuch as the dislocation of the brake beam 6 mayalso occur otherwise than during the operation of the brakes. In Figs.4, 5, and 6, l have shown the relative positions of the parts oi myimproved structure as just explained. In the operation of: valve link 17has a movement vertically in a free path until stopped by the upperlimit of slot then downwardly until elbow 15 is reached, when thismovement is translated amrularly to the vertical into an approxiintwlyhorizontal direction. It is found that this arrangement insures agradual and not too sudden actuation of the valve.

Ji'oriificafions: In Fig. 7, I have showna somewhat modified form ofconstruction; this involving the attachment of the valveoperatingelement 20 directly to the brakebeam 6 in lieu oit' attaching it to thelink 17, as above-described: In this arrangement the operation of theelement 20 is ettected, not ilirectly by the link 17. but by themovement oi the brake-beam itself.

It is to be understood that my invention isapplicable to any type of carin which a brake-beam is employed; and, also that the auxiliarybeam-hanger herein described may be used in conjunction with anairbra-ke s tam or not. as may be desired.

From the foregoing. it will be perceived that l have disclosed aneffective structure, both for controlling; the movement and position or?the b'rali'e-beam and, also, For operating the air system of" the car,in an emen grcncy; that I have now described the princiiis'les oioperation of the structure; and that have made apparent its advantagesand principal features. It is to be understood. l'row e'ver, that I donot limit myself to the particular aggroupments oi the parts, nor to thespecial manner of relating them one to the other. except in so far asthe structure involves. as a primary instrumentality, an auxiliarybrake-beam support that tunctions only in the event of the abnormaldislocation ofthe brake-beam and which. when functioning, guides thebrake-beam to a point where its abnormal movement can be ell ectuallyarrested and be there maintained are including in combination abrakebeam, hangers therefor, a truck-bolster to which the hangers areconnected, an auxiliary beam-support associated with said hangers andcomprising an angular memher, a connecting-element between the supportand the beam and slidable on the support, first in a vertical directionand then in an approximatelyhorizontal direction, the member beingformed with an enlargement into which the element is disposed by theabnormal movement of the brake-beam, and

an associated air-brake system operable by movement of theconnecting-element.

2. An emergency structure for railwaycars including in combination abrake-beam, hangers therefor, a truck-bolster to which the hangers areconnected, an auxiliary beam-support associated with said hangers andcomprising an angular member, a connecting-element between the supportand the beam and slidable on the support, first in a vertical directionand then in an approximately horizontal direction, the member beingformed with an enlargement into Which the element is disposed by theabnormal movement of the brake-beam, and an associated air-brake systemincluding a valve and a connection between the valve and the ele mentwhereby abnormal movement of the element will operate the valve.

3. 'An emergency structure for railwaycars including a truck, atruck-bolster carried thereby, a brake-beam juxtaposed to the bolster, ahanger for connecting the brakeheam to the bolster, an auxiliarybeam-support adapted to function to sustain the brake-beam if it becomesdislocated and of angular form to provide a plurality of operatingsections angulated to each other, a conmeeting-link attached to thebrake-beam and having a sliding movement on the support, first in onedirection and, then, in an angular direction one section of the supportbeing enlarged to receive and hold the connecting-element when thebrake-beam is abnormally dislocated, and a valve-device operable byabnormal movement of said brake-beam.

l. An emergency structure for railwaycars including a truck, atruck-bolster carried thereby, a brake-beam juxtaposed to the bolster, ahanger for connecting the brakebeam to the bolster, an auxiliarybeam-support adapted to function to sustain the brake-beam if it becomesdislocated and of angular form to provide a plurality of operatingsections angulated to each other, a connecting-link attached to thebrake-beam and having a sliding movement on the support, first in onedirection and, then, in an angular direction, one section of the supportbe mg enlarged to receive and hold the connecting-element when thebrake-beam is abnormally dislocated, an air-brake system carried by thecar and including an emergency-valve and a connection between the valveand the connecting-element whereby, by an abnormal movement of theelement, the valve is operated to release air theretrough from thesystem.

An emergency structure for railwaycars including a truck, a bolstercarried thereby, a brake-beam juxtaposed to the bolster, hangersconnecting the beam to the bolster, an auxiliary-support for the beamadapted to function. by dislocation of the beam from the hangers andcomprising a plurality of members, each angular in form to present aplurality of sections angulated to each other, one section thereof beingformed with enlargement, a connecting-ele- 111G111, attached to thebrake-beam and having movement in relation to the angular member, firstin asubstantially vertical direction and, then, in an approximatelyhorizontal direction and into said enlargement whereby it is heldagainst further abnormal movement, a valve -operating element associatedwith the brake-beam, a valve-opening lever connected to thevalve-operatingele meut, a valve controlled by the lever, and anair-brake system associated with the valve.

6. An emergency structure for railwaycars including a truck, a bolstercarried thereby, a brake-beam juxtaposed to the bolster and movable inrelation thereto, a valvedevi'ce operatively connected to saidbrakebeam, hangers associated with the bolster for normally sustainingthe brakebeam, means associated with the brake-beam for controlling itsmovement and position in the event of its abnormal movement in relationto the bolster; said means comprising an auxiliary hanger associatedwith the bolster and inactive during the normal movement of thebrake-beam but automatically rendered active by an abnormal movement ofthe brake-beam, said auxiliary hanger comprising an angular memberhaving a plurality of operating sections angulated to each other, and aconnection between the auxili ary hanger and the brake-beam wherebyabnormal movement of the beam. is guided by the auxiliary hanger, firstin a substantially vertical direction and then in an approximatelyhorizontal direction.

7. An emergency structure for railwaycars including a truck, a bolstercarried thereby, a brake-beam juxtaposed to the bolster and movable inrelation thereto, hangers associated With the bolster for normallysustaining the brake-beam, means associated with the brake-beam forcontrolling its movement and position in the event of its abnormalmovement in relation to the bolster; said means comprising an auxiliaryhanger associated with the'bolster and inactive during the normalmovement of the brake-beam but automatically rendered active by anabnormal movement of the brakebeam, said auxiliary hanger comprising anangular member having a plurality of operating sections angulated toeach other, a connection between the auxiliary hanger and the brake-beamwhereby abnormal movement of the beam is guided by the auxiliary hanger,first in a substantially vertical direction and then in an approximatelyhorizontal direction; in combination with an 10 auxiliary air-valveoperatively associated HORACE W. LINDSEY.

lVitnesses M. E. SMOOT, EDMUND H. PARRY.

